Portable flat pack merchandise display

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a portable merchandise display comprising a plurality of corner posts, a plurality of upper tracks attached to upper portions of the plurality of corner posts, and a plurality of lower tracks attached to lower portions of the plurality of corner posts, wherein the plurality of corner posts, the plurality of upper tracks, and the plurality of lower tracks constitute a support structure for panels stocked with merchandise for sale thereof.

BACKGROUND

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The instant invention relates generally to merchandise displaymethod, apparatus, and article-of-manufacture. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a high-capacity floor display adapted forstoring and displaying merchandise, such as eyeglasses, jewelry, paperproducts, clothing, accessories, and other products sold in stores andmarkets.

[0003] 2. State of the Art

[0004] There are many different types of merchandise displays availabletoday. Typical display stands include the carousel-type, fixed-flattype, counter-top type, free-standing type, and fixed-floor type.

[0005] One of the problems faced by retailers utilizing such displays isthat a significant amount of time and effort is required for initialloading and subsequent replenishing of merchandise. These displays aregenerally large and heavy, especially when fully stocked, making itdifficult to move, let alone transport to another facility or storagearea. Still other drawbacks involve displays with an enormous number ofcomponents that must be removed or dismantled before the display can bestored or moved, which is especially true for large displays thatprovide a substantial amount of room for merchandise display and/orstorage.

[0006] It is important for the retailer to receive from the wholesaler amerchandise display that is pre-loaded with inventory, thus requiringminimal time and effort in stocking, not to mention keeping pace withthe changing seasons and consumer demands. Equally as important for theretailer having sufficient surface area to display a large number ofitems, while retaining the ability to store merchandise, move thedisplay as desired within a store or to a different location, anddisassemble the display for storage or transport.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea merchandise display.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide amerchandise display that is portable.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide amerchandise display in which inventory is stored.

[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide amerchandise display that is easily assembled and disassembled.

[0011] These and other objects of the present invention will be apparentin the following description.

[0012] The present invention provides a portable merchandise displaycomprising a plurality of corner posts, a plurality of upper tracksattached to upper portions of the corner posts, and a plurality of lowertracks attached to lower portions of the corner posts, wherein thecorner posts, the upper tracks, and the lower tracks constitute asupport structure for panels stocked with merchandise ready for sale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 depicts a top view of the preferred embodiment;

[0015]FIG. 3 depicts a front view of the preferred embodiment;

[0016]FIG. 4 depicts an end view of an upper track of the preferredembodiment;

[0017]FIG. 5 depicts an end view of a lower track of the preferredembodiment;

[0018]FIG. 6 depicts an end view of a corner post of the preferredembodiment;

[0019]FIG. 7 depicts a top view of an upper corner bracket of thepreferred embodiment; and

[0020]FIG. 8 depicts a top view of a lower corner bracket of thepreferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] With reference now to the figures and, in particular, withreference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, there is depicted a representation of amerchandise display 10 of the present invention. Corner posts 24 areconnected to each other at their lower and upper ends by a lower track34 and an upper track 32, respectively. Support panels 22 attachedbetween the upper and lower tracks provide additional support andstability. In order to allow for easy transport and rotation, wheels 36are provided, preferably under each of the corner posts. Nevertheless,the base of the structure may simply be set on the floor, or on anadditional rotatable and/or moveable base. The panels that hold anddisplay the merchandise (not shown) are well known in the market place,and include the prepackaged panels pre-stocked with merchandise. Anymerchandise panel may be utilized with the present invention withoutdeparture from its scope and spirit.

[0022] A cover 12 is provided for the display, preferably in the form ofa pyramidal tent supported by an upper tent frame 14 and a lower tentframe 16. Naturally, the cover need not be limited to a pyramidal shape,and may be dome shaped, flat, square, or any other shape or design thatis esthetically appealing or provides additional storage space within oron top of the structure; it can even be left uncovered altogether. Theupper tent frame and the lower tent frame are triangular, and eachincludes a vertical slit between the base and the apex. Both slitsextend half way between the base and the apex; the difference being thatthe slit of the upper tent frame begins at the base, and the slit of thelower tent frame begins at the apex. The ends of each of the bases alsoinclude cutouts 15 that provide a seat on which the frames rest on andare registered with the corner posts, and thereby add to the stabilityof the structure. As with the tent, the tent frames are not limited to atriangular shape, and may be semicircular, rectangular, or any shape orform that provides the necessary support of the tent.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper track 32 includes a back leg 31, towhich the support panel 22 (FIGS. 1, 3) may be attached, a front leg 35,and an upper connector 38 with bracket grooves or slots 38′ above andbetween the two legs. The lower track 34 (FIG. 5), is similar andincludes a back leg 33, to which the support panel 22 (FIGS. 1, 3) maybe attached, a front leg 37, and a lower connector 39 with bracketgrooves or slots 39′ below and between the two legs. Once the displayhas been constructed, panels carrying merchandise (not shown) would bepositioned between the upper and lower track and slidable therein. Inorder to provide for easy panel installation and removal, the front leg35 of the upper track is slightly longer than the front leg 37 of thelower track, and is adapted to hold the upper portion of the panelscarrying merchandise, provided that the height of the panel is less thanthe distance between upper and lower connectors and more than thedistance between the front legs. The longer front leg providesadditional space at the top, so that to install a panel, one need onlyslide the top portion of the panel into the upper track, providingsufficient space at the bottom for the panel to clear the shorter frontleg of the lower track. Once the panel is lowered to rest on the lowertrack, the extra length of the front leg of the upper track issufficient to restrain the top of the panel from falling out.

[0024] The corner post 24 shown in FIG. 6 has an L-shape, and includespanel grooves or slots 25, and fastener brackets 27 for retaining cornerpanels 26 (FIG. 1), which may include advertising or decoration. TheL-shape is preferred for a merchandise display having a rectangularshape. Nevertheless, the right angle of the L may be varied to allow fora display with less than or greater than four sides, so that if threesides are preferred, the angle is decreased, while if five, six, or moresides are preferred, the angle is increased.

[0025]FIG. 7 depicts an upper corner bracket 42 as viewed from above,including screw bores 45, detents 48, a notch or cutout 43, and a flatedged corner 41. The screw bores are aligned such that a connector maypass through and be held by the fastener brackets 27 of the corner post24. While screw snaps are preferred, equivalents may be substituted,such as screws, bolts, dowels or any other device that may be utilizedto attach the corner post and the upper corner brackets. The notch 43provides a seat for the cutouts 15 in the upper and lower tent frames,thereby increasing the stability of the structure. Opposite to thenotch, a protrusion with the flat edged corner 41 provides an anchorabout which the corners of the tent 12 are stretched over and held inplace, which also adds to the stability of the overall structure. Themain purpose for the upper corner bracket is to provide a connectionbetween the corner posts and the upper tracks, as shown in FIG. 2 inwhich the tent is clear to show the connection. The detents 48 areactually cut out of the bracket itself, having three cutout sides withthe remaining side bent out and offset from the bracket by the platethickness, and preferably protrude downward from the upper cornerbrackets. The bracket grooves or slots 38′ of the upper track hold theouter edges of the upper corner bracket, and because the detents tend topush away from the upper track, while the slots push the upper cornerbracket toward the upper track, the pressure causes a higher frictionforce, thereby making the connection firm and sturdy. Nevertheless, theoffset also provides a space for similar detents, holes, or otherprotrusions in the upper track to be tightly imbedded therein. Thedetents need not be cut out of the bracket, but simply added on by wellknown means, bent, or molded.

[0026] Lower corner brackets 44, shown in FIG. 8, are practically thesame as the upper corner brackets with a few preferred modifications. Aswith the upper corner bracket, the lower corner bracket includessimilarly positioned detents 49, as well as screw bores 47 aligned suchthat a connector may pass through and be held by the fastener brackets27 of the corner post 24. While the lower corner bracket does notrequire the protrusion for anchoring the tent, a wheel bore 46 isincluded for those instances where wheels or other base structures aredesired to be secured by a connector, as apposed to a structure intowhich the wheels could be snap-fit. As with the upper corner bracket,the lower corner bracket detents 49 are cut out of the bracket itself,having three cutout sides with the remaining side bent out and offsetfrom the bracket by the plate thickness, and preferably upward from thelower corner bracket. Again, these detents are effective in providing aholding force when used together with the bracket grooves or slots 39′of the lower track, which hold the outer edges of the corner bracket.

[0027] The present invention has been specifically designed to provide amerchandise display structure where assembly and disassembly areconveniently and easily accomplished, without sacrificing the stabilityand strength of the overall structure. The process of assembling themerchandise display of the present invention begins with the attachmentof the upper and lower brackets to the corner posts. As described above,screw snaps are utilized for their inherent convenience, but othersuitable alternatives may be substituted. Next, the upper and lowertracks are systematically snapped into place, utilizing the detents. Thesupport panels are then attached to the back legs of the upper and lowertracks, thus providing a solid structure in which merchandise panels maybe inserted and stocked, as described above. The space inside of thestructure provides a substantial storage area for additional stock,pre-stocked merchandise panels, or anything else that needs to be placedout of sight. Simply by removing a merchandise panel, access is providedto additional stock within the display. Another method is to have twopanels in each side, with the upper and lower tracks having sufficientspace between the back and front legs to permit one panel to slide infront or behind the other. And, yet another way would include one of thetwo panels only partially stocked with merchandise, and the remainingspace utilized for advertisements, notices, or even a mirror. Thepossibilities for variation are almost endless.

[0028] While the structure is complete and operable, other additionalcomponents may be added if so desired. As described above, wheels orother base structures may be added to provide for rotation or movementof the display. Additionally, lighting fixtures may be attached forillumination or simply esthetic appeal.

[0029] The above described tent may be installed by first sliding theupper tent frame into the lower tent frame through the slits. Onceattached, the combined tent frame is positioned on top of themerchandise display structure, with the cutouts aligned and placed inthe notches of the upper corner brackets. Finally, the tent is placedonto the tent frames, and the corners of the tent are pulled over theprotruding flat edged corners of the upper corner brackets, as describedabove. To dismantle the display, for storage or movement to anotherlocation, the above steps are simply reversed.

[0030] The forgoing description is meant to be illustrative and notlimiting. Various changes, modifications, and additions may becomeapparent to the skilled artisan upon perusal of this specification, andsuch are meant to be within the scope and spirit of the invention asdefined by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable merchandise display comprising: a. a plurality of corner posts; b. a plurality of upper tracks attached to upper portions of said plurality of corner posts; and c. a plurality of lower tracks attached to lower portions of said plurality of corner posts, wherein said plurality of corner posts, said plurality of upper tracks, and said plurality of lower tracks constitute a support structure for panels stocked with merchandise for sale thereof.
 2. The portable merchandise display of claim 1, further comprising means for connecting and disconnecting said plurality of corner posts, said plurality of upper tracks, and said plurality of lower tracks.
 3. The portable merchandise display of claim 1, further comprising brackets for connecting and disconnecting said plurality of corner posts, said plurality of upper tracks, and said plurality of lower tracks.
 4. The portable merchandise display of claim 3, wherein said brackets comprise at least one upper bracket and/or at least one lower bracket.
 5. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said upper bracket includes a support notch, so as to provide support for a cover, display, or cover and display.
 6. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said upper bracket includes means for connecting at least one of said plurality of corner posts to at least one of said plurality of upper tracks.
 7. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said upper bracket includes at least one hole, so as to provide for connection to said upper portion of at least one of said plurality of corner posts, respectively.
 8. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said upper bracket includes at least one detent for connecting said upper bracket to at least one of said plurality of upper tracks.
 9. The portable merchandise display of claim 8, wherein said detent is a partial cutout from said upper bracket.
 10. The portable merchandise display of claim 9, wherein said cutout is bent and offset from said upper bracket by the thickness thereof.
 11. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said upper bracket includes a protrusion, so as to provide an anchor for a cover, display, or cover and display.
 12. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said lower bracket includes means for connecting at least one of said plurality of corner posts to at least one of said plurality of lower tracks.
 13. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said lower bracket includes at least one hole, so as to provide for connection to said lower portion of at least one of said plurality of corner posts, respectively.
 14. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said lower bracket includes at least one detent for connecting said lower bracket to at least one of said plurality of lower tracks.
 15. The portable merchandise display of claim 14, wherein said detent is a partial cutout from said lower bracket.
 16. The portable merchandise display of claim 15, wherein said cutout is bent and offset from said lower bracket by the thickness thereof.
 17. The portable merchandise display of claim 4, wherein said lower bracket includes means for providing connection to a moveable base support.
 18. The portable merchandise display of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of upper tracks and/or at least one of said plurality of lower tracks include a front leg, a back leg, and a connecting member between said front leg and said back leg.
 19. The portable merchandise display of claim 18, wherein said front leg, said back leg, and said connecting member define a space in at least one of said plurality of upper tracks and/or at least one of said plurality of lower track for at least one upper portion and/or at least one lower portion of at least one merchandise display panel, respectively.
 20. The portable merchandise display of claim 19, wherein said front leg of at least one of said plurality of upper tracks is longer than said front leg of at least one of said plurality of lower tracks, so as to provide for easy installation, removal, and restraint of said merchandise display panel.
 21. The portable merchandise display of claim 19, further comprising means for connecting and disconnecting at least one of said plurality of corner posts, said plurality of upper tracks, and/or said plurality of lower tracks, and wherein said connecting member includes at least one groove or slot for receiving said means for connecting and disconnecting.
 22. The portable merchandise display of claim 19, further comprising at least one upper bracket and/or at least one lower bracket so as to provide for connecting and disconnecting at least one of said plurality of corner posts, said plurality of upper tracks, and/or said plurality of lower tracks, and wherein said connecting member includes at least one groove or slot for receiving said upper bracket and/or said lower bracket.
 23. The portable merchandise display of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of corner posts includes at least one fastener bracket.
 24. The portable merchandise display of claim 23, wherein at least of said plurality of corner posts is L-shaped.
 25. The portable merchandise display of claim 23, wherein at least on of said plurality of corner posts includes at least one groove or slot for receiving a panel.
 26. The portable merchandise display of claim 1, further comprising a cover.
 27. The portable merchandise display of claim 26, wherein said cover includes a tent.
 28. The portable merchandise display of claim 27, wherein said cover includes a frame to support said tent.
 29. The portable merchandise display of claim 1, further comprising a support panel attached to at least one of said plurality of upper tracks, at least one of said plurality of lower tracks, and/or at least one of said plurality of corner posts, so as to provide additional support and rigidity thereof. 